CHESHIRE - Cynthia M. (Michaels) Jensen, 85, passed away Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at Waterbury Hospital. She was the wife of the late George A. Jensen, who passed away in 2015.
Mrs. Jensen was born May 16, 1934, in New Haven, the daughter of the late Howard and Charity (Stevenson) Michaels. She grew up in New Haven, and had a lifelong passion for horses. When Yale started a female polo team in 1958, Cynthia was named Captain. The newly formed team played a men’s team in a highly publicized match in New York, causing quite a stir and receiving coverage in the New York Times and the March issue of Sports Illustrated.
Mrs. Jensen received a bachelor’s degree in English from Mary Washington University in Fredericksburg, Virginia. She was heavily involved in the community taking on leadership roles in multiple non-profit organizations including the Waterbury United Way, the Junior League of Waterbury, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Connecticut Horse Show Association and Cheshire Community Theater just to name a few. She also taught intermittently at Cheshire High School.
As a member of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Cheshire, she started and ran the St. Peter’s Church Annual Charity Horse Show for 44 years. The proceeds of the shows pumped more than a quarter of a million dollars back into the local non-profit community. Active until very recently, Cynthia was a rated Judge for the New England Horsemen’s Council and the Connecticut Hunter Jumper Association and a licensed Steward for the United States Equestrian Federation.
Mrs. Jensen in survived by her daughters Kristin J. Bures and her husband Craig of Prospect and Karin L. Jensen of Cheshire; her grandchildren Ian and Alik Bures; her sister Kathleen Bader of San Antonio, Texas and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents and step-mother Carolyn Bishop Michaels, she was predeceased by her son, Erik A. Jensen and her sisters Joan Denney and Martha McCreight and her step-sister Elizabeth Bishop.
A memorial service will be held at a later date and there are no calling hours. Alderson-Ford Funeral Home of Cheshire, 615 South Main is handling arrangements. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the St. Peter's Church Memorial Fund, 59 Main St., Cheshire, CT 06410 or the Connecticut Horse Show Association Scholarship Fund C/O Peter Mann, 125 Valentine Rd., Pomfret Center, CT 06259.